There's nothing wrong with the quality of Aldi or Lidl's goods - I shopped at ADSA for over 25 years, but switched to the German discount stores a couple of years back - save at least 20% over the main supermarkets.
Both chains have improved their stores greatly (fixtures and fittings) and the customer service has improved.
I just wish this country had some of the business acumen shown by the Germans.
One of the most pleasant differences is seeing store managers in Aldi and Lidl actually working. Rather different to the costly non-effective managers who stand around talking and blocking the aisles in the full price chains.
One of the most pleasant differences is seeing store managers in Aldi and Lidl actually working. Rather different to the costly non-effective managers who stand around talking and blocking the aisles in the full price chains.
Excellent point - you never see our local manager not getting stuck in alongside his colleagues - always says hello and very helpful. Local Sainsburys - store staff and security guards constantly blocking the aisle ignoring customers trying to get by them.
I just got a letter from Sainsbury's today, offering £X amount off my first shop £X amount of the second shop providing its within a certain period from the 1st shop. It went in the Bin, I simply don't have time to mess about when there is another option.
Yes, but the lot I have just got from Sainsbury's are for £14 off a £60 shop and that's even worth going there for. I seem to know how to play Suansbury's and Tesco. I don't go there for a while so they send me a load of vouchers. I use (most of) the vouchers and then go back to Asda until they send me another lot. Works for me!
Tesco online deliveries have never worked like that round here. If an item isn't available then they'll offer a substitute if possible, which you can accept or reject. The driver handles that. If no substitute is available then you won't be charged. You never have to ring them up. Perhaps it's different where you live, or perhaps you're getting confused with a different supermarket chain?
I'm not talking about substitutions (which they also managed to make a balls up of, but you're right, at least they give you the choice). What I'm talking about here is them simply losing a few bags. Having seen how stuff is stored in the van, I'm not surprised they get it wrong. There are shelves of large plastic boxes and the bags of shopping go in them. There are also plastic dividers to turn boxes into half boxes. You'd think each box or half box would contain one household's shopping, but watching the guy unload the van he was pulling bags from random boxes all over the place and none of them were labelled, he appeared to be doing it all from memory.
Agreed. (Except that if you're on the delivery saver scheme and the next order is over £40 then there's no delivery charge.)
A few bags of groceries isn't going to come to more than £40 so that wouldn't really help.
Having seen how stuff is stored in the van, I'm not surprised they get it wrong.
I've used Tesco online deliveries most weeks for several years and never had anything missing. Nor have I ever seen them use two halves of a crate for two different customers. Perhaps the store my deliveries come from is better run than yours.
I've used Tesco online deliveries most weeks for several years and never had anything missing. Nor have I ever seen them use two halves of a crate for two different customers. Perhaps the store my deliveries come from is better run than yours.
I think that's it, they can blame each other but ultimately the shopping gets picked and bagged in the local store and gets delivered by the local driver, they only get away with doing their job so badly because the manager allows it.
Yes, but the lot I have just got from Sainsbury's are for £14 off a £60 shop and that's even worth going there for. I seem to know how to play Suansbury's and Tesco. I don't go there for a while so they send me a load of vouchers. I use (most of) the vouchers and then go back to Asda until they send me another lot. Works for me!
Tesco do this to me too, haven't shopped there for a few months, so they've sent loads of vouchers through
Europa , Harts and Cullens were bought out by Tesco, some did try and block it but Tesco was waived on through as per usual. Now instead of a really nice Harts which sold loads of stuff you just don't get in Tesco (escpeially nice nibbly stuff late at night ) near us we have A huge Tesco , a small Tesco and the other Harts close by they sold to Rymans.
Yes, but the lot I have just got from Sainsbury's are for £14 off a £60 shop and that's even worth going there for. I seem to know how to play Suansbury's and Tesco. I don't go there for a while so they send me a load of vouchers. I use (most of) the vouchers and then go back to Asda until they send me another lot. Works for me!
Im the same. Tesco continously send me £2/£3 off £20 vouchers so i only go there when needed. Then its back to asda lol. I dont shop at sainsburys enough so they hardly ever send me vouchers
This week i did the werkly shopping at aldi for the first time
Plus points:
Cheaper than even asda for most of the items i got
Surprised at the choice. Especially fruit and veg
Very nice cakes and cheap too
Minus points:
Cant use credit card
3p pet carrier bag (could be a good thing i guess)
Not sure about the froZen food choice esp fish and chips and potato items
I was told at the checkout not to bag my items there and do it after paying away from the queue. So i took all my shopping unbagged and to the car. Not a huge deal but surprised . I guess they wanted yo save on queue time for everyone
Toiletry items generally better at home bargains and asda
I will probably be back at asda next week although aldi is a good option for generic items
I gave up shopping at Tesco a few months ago. I can now do a full weeks shop in Aldi. My shopping bill has drastically reduced.
I can recommend the thin crust 4 cheese pizza. The layered yoghurts are gorgeous.
I've just opened some salted caramel nuts. Good lord.....i've never had anything like this before..so nice. I'll be going back tomorrow to stock up.
You can do a full weeks shopping in Aldi? Never managed it myself, it's all going well and then you realise they don't have something fairly basic like mushrooms.
You can do a full weeks shopping in Aldi? Never managed it myself, it's all going well and then you realise they don't have something fairly basic like mushrooms.
The three Aldi's near me always have fresh mushrooms, in various sizes as well.
I don't mind paying more because I think there are more importsnt issues than price with regards to food.
Free range, organic, and sustainable farming are all really important to me and that's why I tend to use Sainsburys and Waitrose whehn I use supermarkets.
I'm sure Aldi meat tastes fine but at that price something has had t give and someone is getting screwed over - whether that's the consumer paying for delicious filler like rusk or water in ham. Or more importantly the farmers and suppliers not getting paid enough - this then has an impact on animal treatment - when margins are tough for suppliers, they then need to cut something as well.
Ethics are important to food and I want to buy British produce not Green Beans imported from Kenya - a ridiculous amount of airmiles.
I use Aldi all the time. Their meat is all 'red tractor', their premium sausages are 85% beef or pork and they regularly offer free-range chickens, eggs etc. I bought some 28 day aged beef and steaks in there on Friday, and I know from experience that they will be delicious and tender. Their seasonal veg and fruit is English.
One of the most pleasant differences is seeing store managers in Aldi and Lidl actually working. Rather different to the costly non-effective managers who stand around talking and blocking the aisles in the full price chains.
I've never seen anyone multitask like the manager we had at a local Aldi - he would stack shelves with a mobile tucked under his chin, while also advising customers on where to find things.
I've seen him doing the same when working on the check-out, while also calling out product numbers off the top of his head for other check-out assistants, and he was a really nice bloke too.
They moved him to another store that was falling behind on targets, which is related to footfall and local issues.
No one should have to work at that pace, but it was obviously paying off for him, and I hope he gets what he's looking for out of Aldi.
That was just an example, I have been left bewildered several times by Aldi's stock.
I did about 90% of my weekly shopping at aldi on Friday. One of the surprising things they didn't have was lurpak butter! Although they did have a spuriously similar sounding and looking brand lol.
I wasn't that impressed with the frozen food range either so over the next few weeks ill alternate between aldi and asda and see how it goes
I don't mind paying more because I think there are more importsnt issues than price with regards to food.
Free range, organic, and sustainable farming are all really important to me and that's why I tend to use Sainsburys and Waitrose whehn I use supermarkets.
I'm sure Aldi meat tastes fine but at that price something has had t give and someone is getting screwed over - whether that's the consumer paying for delicious filler like rusk or water in ham. Or more importantly the farmers and suppliers not getting paid enough - this then has an impact on animal treatment - when margins are tough for suppliers, they then need to cut something as well.
Ethics are important to food and I want to buy British produce not Green Beans imported from Kenya - a ridiculous amount of airmiles.
What a refreshing post. If only more DSers were as conscientious as you are. But on the other hand, I think it's a shame that the burden on being ethical is disproportionately skewed towards consumers. So if you wish to consume ethically, you're expected to pay dearly for it (which is unfair to those on a low income).
Comments
Both chains have improved their stores greatly (fixtures and fittings) and the customer service has improved.
I just wish this country had some of the business acumen shown by the Germans.
Excellent point - you never see our local manager not getting stuck in alongside his colleagues - always says hello and very helpful. Local Sainsburys - store staff and security guards constantly blocking the aisle ignoring customers trying to get by them.
I'm not talking about substitutions (which they also managed to make a balls up of, but you're right, at least they give you the choice). What I'm talking about here is them simply losing a few bags. Having seen how stuff is stored in the van, I'm not surprised they get it wrong. There are shelves of large plastic boxes and the bags of shopping go in them. There are also plastic dividers to turn boxes into half boxes. You'd think each box or half box would contain one household's shopping, but watching the guy unload the van he was pulling bags from random boxes all over the place and none of them were labelled, he appeared to be doing it all from memory.
A few bags of groceries isn't going to come to more than £40 so that wouldn't really help.
I think that's it, they can blame each other but ultimately the shopping gets picked and bagged in the local store and gets delivered by the local driver, they only get away with doing their job so badly because the manager allows it.
Tesco do this to me too, haven't shopped there for a few months, so they've sent loads of vouchers through
Europa , Harts and Cullens were bought out by Tesco, some did try and block it but Tesco was waived on through as per usual. Now instead of a really nice Harts which sold loads of stuff you just don't get in Tesco (escpeially nice nibbly stuff late at night ) near us we have A huge Tesco , a small Tesco and the other Harts close by they sold to Rymans.
Im the same. Tesco continously send me £2/£3 off £20 vouchers so i only go there when needed. Then its back to asda lol. I dont shop at sainsburys enough so they hardly ever send me vouchers
This week i did the werkly shopping at aldi for the first time
Plus points:
Cheaper than even asda for most of the items i got
Surprised at the choice. Especially fruit and veg
Very nice cakes and cheap too
Minus points:
Cant use credit card
3p pet carrier bag (could be a good thing i guess)
Not sure about the froZen food choice esp fish and chips and potato items
I was told at the checkout not to bag my items there and do it after paying away from the queue. So i took all my shopping unbagged and to the car. Not a huge deal but surprised . I guess they wanted yo save on queue time for everyone
Toiletry items generally better at home bargains and asda
I will probably be back at asda next week although aldi is a good option for generic items
You can do a full weeks shopping in Aldi? Never managed it myself, it's all going well and then you realise they don't have something fairly basic like mushrooms.
I use Aldi all the time. Their meat is all 'red tractor', their premium sausages are 85% beef or pork and they regularly offer free-range chickens, eggs etc. I bought some 28 day aged beef and steaks in there on Friday, and I know from experience that they will be delicious and tender. Their seasonal veg and fruit is English.
I've never seen anyone multitask like the manager we had at a local Aldi - he would stack shelves with a mobile tucked under his chin, while also advising customers on where to find things.
I've seen him doing the same when working on the check-out, while also calling out product numbers off the top of his head for other check-out assistants, and he was a really nice bloke too.
They moved him to another store that was falling behind on targets, which is related to footfall and local issues.
No one should have to work at that pace, but it was obviously paying off for him, and I hope he gets what he's looking for out of Aldi.
That was just an example, I have been left bewildered several times by Aldi's stock.
I did about 90% of my weekly shopping at aldi on Friday. One of the surprising things they didn't have was lurpak butter! Although they did have a spuriously similar sounding and looking brand lol.
I wasn't that impressed with the frozen food range either so over the next few weeks ill alternate between aldi and asda and see how it goes
Their raspberry fairy cakes are delicious btw
What a refreshing post. If only more DSers were as conscientious as you are. But on the other hand, I think it's a shame that the burden on being ethical is disproportionately skewed towards consumers. So if you wish to consume ethically, you're expected to pay dearly for it (which is unfair to those on a low income).
After a heavy night out it was the snack food equivalent